Bucket list experience:
Rome, Lazio, Italy
Rome’s Jewish Ghetto is Europe’s most engaging and intriguing Jewish quarter, but its charming character belies its tragic past, culminating in the rounding up and deportation of some 2,000 Jewish inhabitants in 1943; only 15 returned.
Created in 1555 by Pope Paul IV, today the Ghetto has a villagey charm, lined with restaurants, kosher bakeries, small art galleries and a majestic, 1904 Synagogue.
The area also serves up some of the best food in the city – don’t miss traditional specialties such as carciofi alla giudia (deep fried artichokes), baccalà (cod in batter) and fried courgette flowers.
At the far end of Via Portico d’Ottavia is an archway to the ruins of an ancient walkway connecting the neighbourhood to the Roman Forum. On warm evenings, join locals hanging out at cafes and bars along the historic high street.
Nonna Betta is the Ghetto’s famed Italian/Kosher restaurant with reproductions of murals depicting life in the quarter in the 1800s. Book ahead of time to nab a sought-after table pavement side.
If you don’t mind standing in line, don’t leave the Ghetto without tasting Forno Boccione’s sweet and savory speciality, their Beridde pizza. This oblong pastry, on a caramelized base that’s slightly burnt, is made with candied fruit, nuts, and raisins.
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Destination Guide >The Ghetto is an easy, 5-minute stroll from the Campo Campo de’ Fiori and a 15- to 20-minute walk from the Colosseum.
Keep in mind that Saturday is the sabbath for observant Jews, so you may find many of the shops and restaurants closed on that day.
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Our writer’s picks of the best places to stay near this experience, closest first
Rome, Lazio, Italy[0.1 miles]
Sophisticated yet approachable, this boutique hotel offers edgy Roman street art, a hip cocktail bar-cum-co-working space, and an enviable central location a stroll away from Rome’s A-list sights.
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Rome, Lazio, Italy[0.7 miles]
A peaceful, family-oriented hotel in a 17th-century convent, close to the main sights of Rome, and in the heart of buzzing Trastevere.
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Rome, Lazio, Italy[0.8 miles]
A great value, sleek hotel in a former palazzo that blends old with new, in unbeatably convenient location near Piazza Navona.
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Rome, Lazio, Italy[0.9 miles]
An intimate luxury hotel secluded on a quiet street, just above the heart of ancient Rome, with a delightful rooftop garden.
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Destination guides including or relevant to this experience
Lazio, Italy
The Eternal City – 2,000 extraordinary years of glory, greatness and triumph – and decadence, murder and destruction – evidenced by some of the world’s most iconic, must-see monuments and museums.
Our writer’s recommendations of other bucket list experiences our writer says you must do in this destination, closest first
Rome, Lazio, Italy[0.5 miles]
Three museums on one complex, founded in 1471, packed with ancient Roman, Greek and Egyptian statues. Look out for the Capitoline Wolf and the statue of Marcus Aurelius.
Best for ages: 18+ | £12
Rome, Lazio, Italy[0.6 miles]
A superbly preserved Roman shrine under an astonishing 43m dome, housing the tomb of Raphael. The Pantheon was originally a temple to the Gods, rebuilt by Hadrian in AD 118.
Best for ages: 18+ | Free
Rome, Lazio, Italy[0.7 miles]
A lavish treasure-filled palazzo housing paintings and furniture assembled since the 16th century by the Doria, Pamphilj, Landi and Aldobrandini families. Rome’s most impressive private art collection also includes works by Titian, Guercino, and Caravaggio.
Best for ages: 18+ | £10
Rome, Lazio, Italy[0.7 miles]
An archaeological treasure map packed with Rome’s most ancient shrines, temples, and landmarks – the Forum was the heart, soul and nerve centre of the ancient Roman Empire.
Best for ages: 18+ | £15
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Rome, Lazio, Italy[0.3 miles]
Spanning the Tiber from Campus Martius to Tiber Island, this is the oldest bridge in Rome. Commissioned by Lucius Fabricius, then curator of roads, it has been in constant use since its construction in 62 BC.
Best for ages: 18+ | Free
Rome, Lazio, Italy[0.5 miles]
Adjacent to Capitoline Hill, this enormous, gleaming white marble was built in 1935 to honour the first king of Italy. It houses the Museum of Reunification, and Italy’s Tomb of the unknown soldier.
Best for ages: 18+ | £6
Rome, Lazio, Italy[0.7 miles]
This tremendous series of squares (fora) were among the greatest works of the Romans. Trajan’s includes library, Trajan’s Column and the well-preserved Trajan’s Market – the ‘world’s first shopping mall’.
Best for ages: 18+ | Free
Rome, Lazio, Italy[0.7 miles]
Caravaggio single-handedly transformed Italian art in the early 1600s. Three of his most stunning paintings hang in the Contarelli Chapel of this small Rome church, including The Martyrdom of St Matthew.
Best for ages: 18+ | Free
